Child's Play
by Time-Travelling Llama
Summary: AU: John and Sherlock meet as children. Sherlock is going to be the best pirate in the history of pirates all he needs now is his First Mate. An idea I've had for ages so I'm writing it even though I should be doing coursework and working on my other stories.
1. Chapter 1

Mycroft Holmes often took his younger brother to the park when thier Mother was busy, he was always so active, he couldn't sit still for long and he was always bored so they went a lot. Sherlock always insisted on bringing his pirate hat and sword much to Mycroft's dismay as he dueled strangers in the park.  
'But I'm a pirate Mycroft! It's what we do!' Sherlock protested. 'And they, Sherlock, are unarmed civilians!' Mycroft corrected his little brother who pouted grumpily at this statement. Looking around Sherlock observed the people around him.  
'He's not unarmed, the bulge in his right hand pocket is a swiss army knife.' He said smugly pointing at a boy his age and before Mycroft had a chance to stop him he had run off to challenge him. Sherlock, Mycroft reflected was unusually athletic and was often uninterested in other children claiming they too were boring. Happiest with a sword in his hand and his pirate hat jammed on his thick black curls he wanted nothing more than to be a pirate. Mycroft on the other hand was not as athletic as Sherlock could only shout warning to the unsuspecting child. The child turned around, puzzled tugging nervously at the sleeves of his patterned jumper his blond hair shining in the winter sunlight.  
'Enguard!' Sherlock shouted pointing his plastic right at his chest. Noticing the bewildered but impressed look on his face he lowered his blade which made the stranger smile. 'Sherlock Holmes.' he introduced himself confidently.  
'John, John Watson.' the boy smiled. 'I like your hat.' Mycroft by now had caught up and with a panic in his voice, dreading the worst, he shouted.  
'Sherlock, leave him alone. Are you okay?' he asked.  
'Yeah.' John said slightly nervously.  
'He likes my hat.' Sherlock said proudly. Mycroft looked surprised.  
'What?'  
'He likes my hat.' he repeated smiling. Mycroft smiled too, usually Sherlock had scared them off by now. 'John this is my brother Mycroft.' he said almost dismissively. Mycroft took the hint.  
'Okay I'll be over there, mother wants us back for dinner.' Mycroft said. 'and Sherlock,' he added sternly but quietly so that John couldn't overhear him. 'No experiments.' Sherlock sighed and nodded reluctantly though Mycroft wasn't entirely certain he knew it was the best he would get from him so he turned reluctantly to sit of the nearest bench.  
'I'm going to be a pirate.' Sherlock told him.  
'Fantastic.' John exclaimed. Sherlock looked into John's ice blue eyes questioningly. 'Sorry... It's just...' John stammered.  
'No it's okay.' He smiled. 'Normally people run away.'  
He thought for a while before concluding he could trust John. 'Come with me.'

'But I've only just met you.' John said looking around at the park which revealed to Sherlock his shy caution. 'I mean I barely know you.' Sherlock sighed again.

'I know you that you're new in town. You're here with your younger sister and your mother. Your mother is with her not you because she is more protective of her, perhaps because she is younger or perhaps she knows you can take care of yourself hence the knife in your pocket. Given your age it's not likely to be yours more likely it's your fathers then but if it was your fathers he would have it so that suggests he is abroad with the military and he won't be back for a while. Also you have a dog probably a Labrador' he concluded. 'So are you coming?' John stood speechless just staring at Sherlock.

'But... but what, how...?' John stammered back into life.

'Obvious really.' he shrugged. 'So?' he asked for the third time.

John nodded still in shock and Sherlock grinned and waited until Mycroft was distracted. The moment he turned his head Sherlock ran and John followed out of the park and straight into the nearby forest. 


	2. Chapter 2

John kept up surprisingly well with Sherlock despite his long strides due to his considerable height advantage and knowledge of the forest. Weaving his way through the dense trees John tailed him closely.  
'Sherlock?' He called out. 'Where are we going?' As they had got deeper into the forest John felt more uncomfortable. The branches snagged on his jumper and scratched his face and the ground had gotten progressively more uneven.  
'It's just through the trees ahead.' Sherlock told John. The twigs didn't scratch Sherlock as he brushed them aside with his plastic sword though he nearly lost his hat a couple of times. John shouted an acknowledgment the closeness of their destination settling his worries slightly. Pushing through the last boundary of trees John found himself in a small clearing filled with logs but they weren't just logs. Filling the clearing were structures and contraptions made from forest sourced materials. Once again John found himself standing speechless while Sherlock looked out proudly on his handiwork.  
'You built this?' he asked in awe.  
'Yes.' Sherlock replied. 'I have been experimenting with catapults for my ship.'  
'You have a ship?' John looked excitement sparking in his eyes.  
'Want to see it?' Sherlock asked him. Nodding enthusiastically John then following Sherlock to the far side of the clearing. Sherlock's ship like everything else was made of tree branches but in spite of that it was very clearly a ship. It's mast stood tall with a bed sheet sail and a wooden wheel stood at its bow, painted on it's side the S.S. Sherlock. It would be quite impressive to anyone and especially an 8 year old. To John it was perfect.  
'Did Mycroft help you?' he asked, though he doubted Sherlock had even told him about it.  
'Obviously not.' Sherlock said indignantly. 'Mycroft is boring.' John laughed and Sherlock readjusted his Captains hats and climbed aboard. John just continued to look in awe at the the boat. When Sherlock reappeared from inside of the boat he had armfuls of rope and logs, he carried on without speech making his way to an incomplete catapult. John followed close behind him intrigued to find out what he was doing. Sherlock looked around to John after placing the materials on the ground and straightening his hat.

'This is going to be the strongest catapult yet.' Sherlock told John. 'In the library I researched the strongest materials I could source from nearby in a survival book. This is the strongest wood I could find and I borrowed outdoor furniture varnish from Mycroft's shed.' Sherlock smiled to himself. John smiled too. 'You can help me build it next time.'

'Next time?' John said confused snapping out of his awe induced trance. Sherlock pointed to the darkening sky and the setting sun and John's face twisted into a panic. It had been nearly time for him to leave when he had left with Sherlock and glancing down at his watch he saw he was fifteen minutes late already. 'I-I've got to go.' John said looking up to see Sherlock already at the bushes.

The way back seemed quicker or maybe it was his haste but John arrived at the edge of the forest in no time at all. Looking out at the park he saw Mycroft speaking to his mum, no doubt apologizing for Sherlock again, John thought. The sky was a pink purple haze now and the stars began to shine out through the atmosphere.

Before long Mycroft was telling off his younger brother for sneaking off; again, and John was asking if Sherlock could come and visit soon. As they parted ways both knew that they had made a friend that day and despite both John's mum and Mycroft's initial scolding they were happy that this was the case.

* * *

Authors Note: Here is a meaningful thought, this is dedicated to a friend of mine for their birthday :)

Thanks for reading! I hope you like it! :)


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